Church attacks PM over Iraq crisis

THE Church of England has accused the Government of appearing to have no "coherent or comprehensive approach" to tackling the rise of Islamic extremism.

In a strongly-worded attack on David Cameron's handling of the crisis in Iraq, backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Leeds said "many" senior clergy were seriously concerned.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Baines has written to the Prime Minister questioning whether there is any long-term strategy and criticising a "growing silence" over the fate of the plight of persecuted Christians.

In particular he raised questions about ministers' failure to respond to calls - including through parliamentary questions - to set out what arrangements would be made to offer asylum in the UK.

And he expressed fears over the future of the Government's "commitment to religious freedom".

The cleric said he recognised "the complexity and interconnectedness of the challenges" but joined criticism of an apparent failure to respond effectively to the advance of Islamic State fighters.

"It appears that, in common with the United States and other partners, the UK is responding to events in a reactive way, and it is difficult to discern the strategic intentions behind this approach," he wrote in the letter, which he issued to newspapers and published on his website.

"Please can you tell me what is the overall strategy that holds together the UK Government's response to both the humanitarian situation and what IS is actually doing in Syria and Iraq?

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"Behind this question is the serious concern that we do not seem to have a coherent or comprehensive approach to Islamist extremism as it is developing across the globe."

The Church internationally should be "a primary partner in addressing this complexity", he told him.

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Comments (10)

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?pendeen

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

Score: -6

Ilya.Ehrenburg says...6:53pm Sun 17 Aug 14

pendeen wrote…

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

No we are a Christian country. Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?

[quote][p][bold]pendeen[/bold] wrote:
I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?[/p][/quote]No we are a Christian country.
Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?Ilya.Ehrenburg

pendeen wrote…

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

No we are a Christian country. Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?

Score: 1

mikem3 says...7:28pm Sun 17 Aug 14

the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.

the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.mikem3

the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.

Score: 3

pendeen says...8:40pm Sun 17 Aug 14

Ilya.Ehrenburg wrote…

pendeen wrote…

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

No we are a Christian country. Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?

Not a single Syrian Christian refugee has been allowed asylum in the UK.

[quote][p][bold]Ilya.Ehrenburg[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]pendeen[/bold] wrote:
I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?[/p][/quote]No we are a Christian country.
Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?[/p][/quote]Not a single Syrian Christian refugee has been allowed asylum in the UK.pendeen

Ilya.Ehrenburg wrote…

pendeen wrote…

I wonder if UKIP will want to stop Christian refugees coming to the UK?

No we are a Christian country. Would Saudi Arabia stop Muslim refugees going to Saudi Arabia?

Not a single Syrian Christian refugee has been allowed asylum in the UK.

Score: 3

Jabbadad says...11:26pm Sun 17 Aug 14

I think that all religions should look at their own history over wars which have cost Milions of lives, and still today the majority of the wars across the world are either religous or about despots who wany control for their own lifestyles / wealth, since the gains never feed back to the poor or dying . And now while church's do their hand ringing thousands of children who are lucky enough not to be swept up in wars are dying from unsafe water. So all of you tell your religous leaders to inform the Gods you worship, to solve the famines and deaths from contaminated water, since mankind, if it it has the answers, it doesn't have the guidance required to stop unfair hardships on the disadvantaged in society. And instead of putting extra on the collection plates for your own self gratisfication, send it off to Oxfam, where you will get no recognition but a a greater satisfaction.

I think that all religions should look at their own history over wars which have cost Milions of lives, and still today the majority of the wars across the world are either religous or about despots who wany control for their own lifestyles / wealth, since the gains never feed back to the poor or dying .
And now while church's do their hand ringing thousands of children who are lucky enough not to be swept up in wars are dying from unsafe water.
So all of you tell your religous leaders to inform the Gods you worship, to solve the famines and deaths from contaminated water, since mankind, if it it has the answers, it doesn't have the guidance required to stop unfair hardships on the disadvantaged in society.
And instead of putting extra on the collection plates for your own self gratisfication, send it off to Oxfam, where you will get no recognition but a a greater satisfaction.Jabbadad

I think that all religions should look at their own history over wars which have cost Milions of lives, and still today the majority of the wars across the world are either religous or about despots who wany control for their own lifestyles / wealth, since the gains never feed back to the poor or dying . And now while church's do their hand ringing thousands of children who are lucky enough not to be swept up in wars are dying from unsafe water. So all of you tell your religous leaders to inform the Gods you worship, to solve the famines and deaths from contaminated water, since mankind, if it it has the answers, it doesn't have the guidance required to stop unfair hardships on the disadvantaged in society. And instead of putting extra on the collection plates for your own self gratisfication, send it off to Oxfam, where you will get no recognition but a a greater satisfaction.

Score: 6

green49 says...8:58am Tue 19 Aug 14

THE Church of England has accused the Government of appearing to have no "coherent or comprehensive approach" to tackling the rise of Islamic extremism. I think thats correct, We cannot Police the world, we have the extremists already here, Our useless Politicians from all parties have no guts, we need to close our borders and root out everything and everyone who should not be here, this country has lacked any sort of leadership for years and it is the Politicians responsibility to safe guard the people of this country, theres too much political correctness, its got to the point where to make any sort of comment makes politicians frightened of there own shadows for fear of being branded racist.

THE Church of England has accused the Government of appearing to have no "coherent or comprehensive approach" to tackling the rise of Islamic extremism.
I think thats correct, We cannot Police the world, we have the extremists already here, Our useless Politicians from all parties have no guts, we need to close our borders and root out everything and everyone who should not be here, this country has lacked any sort of leadership for years and it is the Politicians responsibility to safe guard the people of this country, theres too much political correctness, its got to the point where to make any sort of comment makes politicians frightened of there own shadows for fear of being branded racist.green49

THE Church of England has accused the Government of appearing to have no "coherent or comprehensive approach" to tackling the rise of Islamic extremism. I think thats correct, We cannot Police the world, we have the extremists already here, Our useless Politicians from all parties have no guts, we need to close our borders and root out everything and everyone who should not be here, this country has lacked any sort of leadership for years and it is the Politicians responsibility to safe guard the people of this country, theres too much political correctness, its got to the point where to make any sort of comment makes politicians frightened of there own shadows for fear of being branded racist.

Score: 2

Jabbadad says...12:35pm Tue 19 Aug 14

I totally agree Green49, and would add that as you say politically they are weak / cowardly, or as we know they are at the behest of the Bilderburgers, Illuminanti or the other real world powers, who are content for the common people (too many on this planet) . to kill each other and in doing so are effecting birth Control of the worst kind, but also using Arms & ammunition, Tanks, vehicles,Planes and equipment which their Industries are involved in providing. Without wars many £Millions of cash flow would end and who would buy the Rolls Royces, Dine at Claridges etc, buy watches costing more than a Semi detatched house? The wars which were for the people were called revolutions, and we won't see many if any more of them, (I also Hope)

I totally agree Green49, and would add that as you say politically they are weak / cowardly, or as we know they are at the behest of the Bilderburgers, Illuminanti or the other real world powers, who are content for the common people (too many on this planet) . to kill each other and in doing so are effecting birth Control of the worst kind, but also using Arms & ammunition, Tanks, vehicles,Planes and equipment which their Industries are involved in providing. Without wars many
£Millions of cash flow would end and who would buy the Rolls Royces, Dine at Claridges etc, buy watches costing more than a Semi detatched house? The wars which were for the people were called revolutions, and we won't see many if any more of them, (I also Hope)Jabbadad

I totally agree Green49, and would add that as you say politically they are weak / cowardly, or as we know they are at the behest of the Bilderburgers, Illuminanti or the other real world powers, who are content for the common people (too many on this planet) . to kill each other and in doing so are effecting birth Control of the worst kind, but also using Arms & ammunition, Tanks, vehicles,Planes and equipment which their Industries are involved in providing. Without wars many £Millions of cash flow would end and who would buy the Rolls Royces, Dine at Claridges etc, buy watches costing more than a Semi detatched house? The wars which were for the people were called revolutions, and we won't see many if any more of them, (I also Hope)

Score: 1

green49 says...10:46am Wed 20 Aug 14

This country needs to address its own security here, i always said once the forces came out of wherever they went then the problems that were found in the first place will come back, its cost our soldiers and innocent people there lives, i cant believe mans inhumanity to its fellow man these days. As for whats happened today with the American journalist, pure murder.

This country needs to address its own security here, i always said once the forces came out of wherever they went then the problems that were found in the first place will come back, its cost our soldiers and innocent people there lives, i cant believe mans inhumanity to its fellow man these days.
As for whats happened today with the American journalist, pure murder.green49

This country needs to address its own security here, i always said once the forces came out of wherever they went then the problems that were found in the first place will come back, its cost our soldiers and innocent people there lives, i cant believe mans inhumanity to its fellow man these days. As for whats happened today with the American journalist, pure murder.

Score: 1

St Jon says...8:42pm Thu 21 Aug 14

mikem3 wrote…

the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.

Or to put your comment another way, some group have a different perspective and value set to me, therefore I condemn them and totally disregard their opinion even though it confronts such a universal evil as genocide. Forgive me, but aren't you displaying just the sort of tiny minded bigotry that you seek to condemn?

[quote][p][bold]mikem3[/bold] wrote:
the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.[/p][/quote]Or to put your comment another way, some group have a different perspective and value set to me, therefore I condemn them and totally disregard their opinion even though it confronts such a universal evil as genocide.
Forgive me, but aren't you displaying just the sort of tiny minded bigotry that you seek to condemn?St Jon

mikem3 wrote…

the church believe in a supernatural being - their opinion is worthless.

Or to put your comment another way, some group have a different perspective and value set to me, therefore I condemn them and totally disregard their opinion even though it confronts such a universal evil as genocide. Forgive me, but aren't you displaying just the sort of tiny minded bigotry that you seek to condemn?

Score: 0

CYNIC_AL says...5:01pm Fri 22 Aug 14

Ahhh religion. Responsible for more wars, misery, suffering and death than anything else in the history of our planet. god bless us everyone...

Ahhh religion. Responsible for more wars, misery, suffering and death than anything else in the history of our planet. god bless us everyone...CYNIC_AL

Ahhh religion. Responsible for more wars, misery, suffering and death than anything else in the history of our planet. god bless us everyone...

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